Begin Again
by Cassila Sanar
Summary: Welcome to the Heritage Series, about original characters set in the Star Wars Universe. Cassila Sanar comes to the attention of her teacher.


Status: Complete  
Rating: K  
Setting: About 34 years before Episode I  
Category: Drama  
Summary: A certain young padawan comes to Yoda's attention.  
Disclaimer: I make no money in the writing of this fiction based on George Lucas' universe. In fact, I lose money wasting my time on populating his world just a little more. If only it weren't so damn much fun…  
Spoilers: Episode II, just a little.  
Comments: Please!

Master Yoda surveyed the class of younglings before him, all of them unseeing behind their novice helmets. Practice lightsabers flashed and snapped as each young student parried the low-power blasts from the drill remotes. Through the Force he felt each individual child, sensing their abilities and talents, knowing even their inner conflicts as some struggled to keep up. Today's lesson was a push forward that was challenging all them.

This was a group with a wide range talents and possibilities and Yoda took delight in playing his game of trying to intuit and foresee where some of these initiates would go in their careers here at the Temple. He knew a couple of them were already being looked at by Masters as possible Padawans when they were old enough. Others seemed to be clearly destined for the Healing, Agricultural and Exploration Corps. Some, though, were challenges, with futures that wanted to change with each passing day. They were the ones Yoda would most enjoy watching as their destinies unfolded. How the children so intrigued and renewed him with the promise they held!

From a child toward the back of the group, Yoda could sense an extra amount of frustration building. He knew right away who it was. Little Cassila Sanar, an under-sized human girl who recently had been brought in from the satellite Jedi Temple on Mendoraan, was the source of the growing trouble. She'd been suddenly returned to the Jedi after some domestic dispute and then brought here to Coruscant. She still suffered from crying fits and sleeplessness.

Finally, there was a burst of Force use from Cassila and the remote dipped down toward her, pulled in by the Force. Her training saber flashed high in the air, connecting with the remote in a surprisingly powerful blow that sent the bit of equipment slamming into the wall and damaging it into quiescence. Then the little girl shut down her saber and stuck it in her belt.

The rest of the class came to a standstill as the other students opened their helmets and shut down their practice sabers. Yoda started to amble toward the girl and the class parted for him. "Youngling Cassila, destroyed the remote you have. Why?"

She stood with her head dipped and her lower lip jutting out; she knew she was in trouble. "I kept getting hit by the rays from it."

"Use your lightsaber you must. Deflect the rays."

"But I couldn't catch them all." She sniffled ever so slightly as she said that. "Besides." Her face came up to look Master Yoda directly, tears hiding in those dark green eyes. "If I can just get rid of the remote which is making the rays, isn't that better?"

Yoda just looked the girl right back. Inwardly, he wanted to jump up and down and congratulate the child on her insight. Innately, she'd looked for the source of the problem and sought to solve it that way, instead of just dealing with the effects, as she'd been told to do. He liked that kind of independent thinking which went beyond the obvious. However, it was not the real point of the exercise. Still, he had to chuckle.

"Heh-heh. Yes, removed the remote's attack you did, but improve your lightsaber skills you did not. What if hidden the remote was? Fight through its rays you would, before attacking directly." Yoda cackled again. "Know how to defend yourself, you must. Practice you need." He reached out and a new remote arrived to settle in his clawed hand.

Cassila bowed her head again, and if it was possible, the lower lip stuck out even further. "Yes Master," she said resignedly.

"Someday, that insight you will use. Today, here and now, work hard you must to give your insight foundation."

The little girl nodded and Yoda could see that the tears had fallen to her cheeks. Activating the remote and tossing it into the air, he returned to the front of the class, telling them all to begin again. Cassila fell back into the routine, but Yoda noticed a renewed determination in the girl. He wasn't sure if she was being hit any less than before, but she was working harder.

_Watch her I must. Great possibilities I see here. To keep that thinking alive, a patient and fair master she will need. . _Yoda watched her a little longer, then shook his head._ No. No more apprentices for me. Too old to keep up easily. But someone will I find for her. When the time comes…_


End file.
